As much as all of us here at OhSO would love to glitz off to the cozy, new Italian place overlooking Laguna Beach with decor and a menu that's to-die-for, order a pasta dish with the finest ingredients we can't pronounce, then sink back into our plush booths after devouring the most heavenly dessert {this is all sans kids by the way...and remember that part where we didn't have to cook anything?}, life gets in the way.
Some of us may not get a chance for an amazing evening out with sick kids (I just put mine back to bed with some Motrin and a 101.4 degree temp), husbands studying for finals and the Bar, the expense, or you may decide to save your sanity (and romance) by avoiding the crowds and staying in.
Homemade ravioli is such a treat, and it is certainly a labor of love. An easy labor of love. This would be fun to do with your partner! Dim the lights, put on your favorite Spotify station, and see where the ravioli takes you...
Make your dough, and knead, knead, knead. I mix all the ingredients in a bowl first, then when it finally starts to hold together (after a slow addition of the flour), I take it out of the bowl and begin to knead it on a heavily-floured surface.
You also must get it very thin. Like as thin as a dime (on the machine, the second-to-last number--2 or a 3). I split my dough and did it two different ways, with a pasta roller and the other by hand, and I honestly felt like they were both relatively easy. For ravioli, you don't want the dough to dry out, because then it's hard to get it to seal. For spaghetti, it's not as big of a deal since it doesn't need to adhere to anything, but here it is. So split your dough into fourths and keep what you're not working with covered. Also, let it rest (covered) before you work with it to really relax the gluten in the dough and make it more loose and pliable.
Make your delicious, classic ricotta filling and place on perforated raviolis. Dip your finger in water and run it along the edges of the ravioli so that you can seal the edges.
Lay your second strip over the first, and voila!
Aren't those the cutest little raviolis you ever did see?
(Be sure to enter our ravioli stamp giveaway...ends on February 13th!) {GIVEAWAY CLOSED}
Ricotta Basil Ravioli and Tomato Cream Sauce
Ingredients
Homemade Pasta
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 1 ½ Tablespoon olive oil
- 8 oz. all-purpose flour 1 ¾ c
Ricotta Basil Filling
- 1 ½ c fresh ricotta
- 1 c freshly grated parmesan
- 1 egg
- handful of basil torn into pieces
- ½ Tablespoon salt
- ½ Tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ Tablespoon nutmeg
- squeeze of lemon juice
Tomato Cream Sauce
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 1 c heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- ½ Tablespoon sugar
- ½ Tablespoon baking soda
Instructions
- Add egg yolks, egg, milk, olive oil, and most of the flour to a bowl. Stir with a fork until it begins to come together into a shaggy ball. Pour remaining flour onto work surface, and knead ball until it is smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at least 30 minutes.
- Begin pasta sauce by pouring ingredients into saucepan and heat over medium heat, covered, stirring intermittently.
- For filling, mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
- Take out and divide dough into four. Work with one section at a time, keeping the rest covered.
- Roll dough out with floured rolling pin, or use pasta roller to roll dough extremely thin.
- Working with very thin strips of dough, lightly imprint ravioli stamps onto dough.
- Place 1 T ricotta filling onto center of each stamp imprint. Dip finger in water and wet edges of raviolis.
- Lay second strip of very thin pasta dough on top of first strip to cover the ricotta. Gently begin to seal ravioli hearts by pushing on the ricotta filling to force out all excess air, then move towards the edges to seal. Repeat with all raviolis.
- Use heart stamp to cut out each ravioli.
- Gently toss in rapidly boiling water, about half of the batch at a time. Boil 2-3 minutes.
- Serve raviolis with sauce, garnish with parmesan and basil.
Erin V says
Have never ventured in making my own pasta- sounds like such a cute date! :)
Erin says
Yum! This looks delicious!
Stephanie says
It's always nice to sit down with a bowl of yummy food :)
Adri says
Brava! What glorious ravioli! I think everyone loves ravioli, and yours look oh so tempting. And I adore the shot of the little hand.
Stephanie says
Thank you Adri! Such a sweet comment!